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Thursday, October 10th, 2024
the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Green's Literal Translation

Joshua 8:1

And Jehovah said to Joshua, Do not fear, nor be afraid. Take all the people of war with you, and rise up, go up to Ai. Behold, I have given the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land into your hand.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Communion;   Thompson Chain Reference - Ai;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies of Israel, the;   Jews, the;   Sieges;   Theocracy, the, or Immediate Government by God;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ai;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Joshua, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ai;   Ambush;   Joshua, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ai;   Israel;   Joshua;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ai, Hai ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ai;   Journeyings of israel from egypt to canaan;   Smith Bible Dictionary - A'i;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Conquest of Canaan;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - City;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ai;  

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
Now Yahweh said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosuah: Feare not, neither be thou faint hearted: Take all the men of warre with thee, and vp, & get thee to Ai. Beholde, I haue geuen into thy hande the kyng of Ai, and his people, his citie, and his lande:
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Don't be afraid; don't give up. Lead all your fighting men to Ai. I will help you defeat the king of Ai. I am giving you his people, his city, and his land.
Revised Standard Version
And the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed; take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land;
World English Bible
Yahweh said to Joshua, Don't be afraid, neither be dismayed: take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai; behold, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land;
King James Version (1611)
And the Lord said vnto Ioshua, Feare not, neither be thou dismaid: take all the people of warre with thee, and arise, goe vp to Ai: See, I haue giuen into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his citie, and his land.
King James Version
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And ye LORDE saide vnto Iosua: Feare not, and be not afrayed. Take all the men of warre with the, and ryse, and get the vp vnto Hai. Beholde, I haue geuen in to thy hande, the kynge of Hai with his people in his cite & countre.
THE MESSAGE
God said to Joshua, "Don't be timid and don't so much as hesitate. Take all your soldiers with you and go back to Ai. I have turned the king of Ai over to you—his people, his city, and his land.
American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land;
Bible in Basic English
Then the Lord said to Joshua, Have no fear and do not be troubled: take with you all the fighting-men and go up against Ai: for I have given into your hands the king of Ai and his people and his town and his land:
Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said to Joshua, Don't be afraid, neither be dismayed: take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land;
Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:
New English Translation
The Lord told Joshua, "Don't be afraid and don't panic! Take the whole army with you and march against Ai! See, I am handing over to you the king of Ai, along with his people, city, and land.
New King James Version
Now the LORD said to Joshua: "Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.
Contemporary English Version
The Lord told Joshua: Don't be afraid, and don't be discouraged by what happened at the town of Ai. Take the army and attack again. But first, have part of the army set up an ambush on the other side of the town. I will help you defeat the king of Ai and his army, and you will capture the town and the land around it. Destroy Ai and kill its king as you did at Jericho. But you may keep the livestock and everything else you want.
Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai said to Y'hoshua, "Don't be afraid or fall into despair! Take all the people who can fight with you, set out, and go up to ‘Ai; because now I have handed over to you the king of ‘Ai, his people, his city and his land.
Darby Translation
And Jehovah said to Joshua, Fear not, neither be dismayed. Take with thee all the people of war, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.
Geneva Bible (1587)
After, the Lord saide vnto Ioshua, Feare not, neither bee thou faint hearted: take all the men of warre with thee and arise, go vp to Ai: beholde, I haue giuen into thine hand the King of Ai, and his people, and his citie, and his land.
George Lamsa Translation
AND the LORD said to Joshua, Fear not, neither be dismayed; take all the men of war with you, and arise and go up to Ai; because I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai and his people, his city and his land;
Good News Translation
The Lord said to Joshua, "Take all the soldiers with you and go on up to Ai. Don't be afraid or discouraged. I will give you victory over the king of Ai; his people, city, and land will be yours.
Amplified Bible
Now the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed (intimidated). Take all the men of war with you and set out, go up to Ai; see, I have given the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land into your hand.
Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said to Yehoshua, Don't be afraid, neither be dismayed: take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to `Ai; behold, I have given into your hand the king of `Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land;
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD said unto Joshua: 'Fear not, neither be thou dismayed; take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.
New Living Translation
Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take all your fighting men and attack Ai, for I have given you the king of Ai, his people, his town, and his land.
New Life Bible
The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid. Take all the men of war with you and go up to Ai. See, I have given the king of Ai into your hand, his people, his city, and his land.
New Revised Standard
Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed; take all the fighting men with you, and go up now to Ai. See, I have handed over to you the king of Ai with his people, his city, and his land.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord said to Joshua, Fear not, nor be timorous: take with thee all the men of war, and arise, go up to Gai; behold, I have given into thy hands the king of Gai, and his land.
English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city and his land:
Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. See, I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Yahweh unto Joshua - Do not fear nor be dismayed, take with thee all the army, and arise, go up to Ai, - see! I have given into thy hand, the king of Ai and his people, and his city, and his land;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to Josue: Fear not, nor be thou dismayed: take with thee all the multitude of fighting men, arise, and go up to the town of Hai: Behold I have delivered into thy hand the king thereof, and the people, and the city, and the land.
Lexham English Bible
Then Yahweh said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you and go up immediately to Ai. Look, I am giving into your hand the king of Ai, his city, and his land.
English Standard Version
And the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land.
New American Standard Bible
Now the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you. Arise, go up to Ai; see, I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.
New Century Version
Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Don't be afraid or give up. Lead all your fighting men to Ai. I will help you defeat the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.
Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole military force with you and go attack Ai. Look, I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, city, and land.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe the Lord seide to Josue, Nether drede thou `withoutforth, `nether drede thou withynne; take with thee al the multitude of fiyteris, and rise thou, and stie in to the citee of Hay; lo, Y haue bitake in thin hond the king therof, and the puple, and the citee, and the lond.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Joshua, `Fear not, nor be affrighted, take with thee all the people of war, and rise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land,

Contextual Overview

1 And Jehovah said to Joshua, Do not fear, nor be afraid. Take all the people of war with you, and rise up, go up to Ai. Behold, I have given the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land into your hand. 2 And you shall do to Ai and to its king as you have done to Jericho and its king. Only, its spoil and its cattle you shall take for yourselves. Set yourself an ambush for the city behind it.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Fear not: Joshua 1:9, Joshua 7:6, Joshua 7:7, Joshua 7:9, Deuteronomy 1:21, Deuteronomy 7:18, Deuteronomy 31:8, Psalms 27:1, Psalms 46:11, Isaiah 12:2, Isaiah 41:10-16, Isaiah 43:2, Jeremiah 46:27, Matthew 8:26

take all: It would seem, from this verse, that all that were capable of bearing arms were to march out of the camp on this occasion: 30,000 formed an ambuscade in one place; and 5,000 were placed in another, who all gained their positions in the night. With the rest of the army, Joshua appeared the next morning before Ai, which the men of that city would naturally suppose was the whole of the Israelitish force and, consequently, be the more emboldened to come out and attack them. Some, however, think that 30,000 men were the whole that were employed on this occasion, 5,000 of whom were placed in ambush on the west of the city, between Bethel and Ai - Joshua 8:12, and, with the rest, Joshua appeared before the city in the morning. The king, seeing but about 25,000 coming against him, though he had but 12,000 persons in the whole city - Joshua 8:25, determined to risk a battle, issued out, and was defeated by stratagem.

I have: Joshua 6:2, Psalms 44:3, Daniel 2:21, Daniel 2:37, Daniel 2:38, Daniel 4:25, Daniel 4:35

Reciprocal: Joshua 8:7 - for the Lord Joshua 8:11 - General Joshua 9:3 - Jericho Joshua 10:8 - General Joshua 12:9 - Ai 1 Kings 8:44 - whithersoever 2 Chronicles 6:34 - by the way Ecclesiastes 3:8 - a time of war Haggai 2:5 - fear

Cross-References

Genesis 8:7
And he sent out a raven, and it went out, going out and returning until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
Genesis 8:9
But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned to him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of all the earth. And he put out his hand and took her, and pulled her in to him into the ark.
Genesis 8:20
And Noah built an altar to Jehovah, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Genesis 8:22
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
Genesis 19:29
And it happened when God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham; and He sent Lot out from the overthrow when overturning the cities in which Lot lived.
Genesis 30:22
And God remembered Rachel; and God listened to her and opened her womb.
Exodus 2:24
And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
Exodus 14:21
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Jehovah caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night. And He made the sea dry land, and the waters divided.
Numbers 22:32
And the Angel of Jehovah said to him, Why have you struck your ass these three times? Behold, I have come out as an enemy because your way is contrary to Me.
1 Samuel 1:19
And they rose up early in the morning and worshiped before Jehovah. And they went back and came to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and Jehovah remembered her.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said unto Joshua,.... Immediately after the execution of Achan, the fierceness of his anger being turned away:

fear not, neither be thou dismayed; on account of the defeat of his troops he had sent to take Ai:

take all the people of war with thee; all above twenty years of age, which, with the forty thousand of the tribes on the other side Jordan he brought over with him, must make an arm, five hundred thousand men; these Joshua was to take with so much to animate and encourage him, or to terrify the enemy, nor because such a number was necessary for the reduction of Ai, which was but a small city; but that all might have a part in the spoil and plunder of it, which they were denied at Jericho, and chiefly to draw all the men out of the city, seeing such a numerous host approaching:

and arise, go up to Ai; which lay high, and Joshua being now in the plains of Jericho, :-;

see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land; this city, though a small one, had a king over it, as most cities in the land of Canaan had; the number of his people in it were twelve thousand, and his land were the fields about it; all which were given to Joshua by the Lord, and were as sure as if he had them already in his hand.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

God rouses Joshua from his dejection Joshua 7:6, and bids him lmarch against Ai with the main body. Though Ai was but a small city (compare Joshua 8:25 and Joshua 7:3), yet the discouragement of the people rendered it inexpedient to send a second time a mere detachment against it; and the people of Ai had, as appears from Joshua 8:17, help from Bethel, and possibly from other places also. It was fitting too that all the people should witness with their own eyes the happy consequences of having faithfully put away the sin which had separated them from God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER VIII

The Lord encourages Joshua, and promises to deliver Ai into his

hands, and instructs him how he is to proceed against it, 1, 2.

Joshua takes thirty thousand of his best troops, and gives

them instructions concerning his intention of taking Ai by

stratagem, 3-8.

The men dispose themselves according to these directions, 9-13.

The king of Ai attacks the Israelites, who, feigning to be

beaten, fly before him, in consequence of which all the troops

of Ai issue out, and pursue the Israelites, 14-17.

Joshua, at the command of God, stretches out his spear towards

Ai, and then five thousand men that he had placed in ambush in

the valley rise up, enter the city, and set it on fire, 18, 19.

Then Joshua and his men turned against the men of Ai, and, at

the same time, those who had taken the city sallied forth and

attacked them in the rear; thus the men of Ai were defeated,

their king taken prisoner, the city sacked, and twelve thousand

persons slain, 20-26.

The Israelites take the spoils, and hang the king of Ai, 27-29.

Joshua builds an altar to God on Mount Ebal, and writes on it a

copy of the law of Moses, 30-32.

The elders, officers, and judges, stand on each side of the ark,

one half over against Mount Gerizim, and the other against

Mount Ebal, and read all the blessings and curses of the law,

according to the command of Moses, 33-35.

NOTES ON CHAP. VIII

Verse Joshua 8:1. Fear not — The iniquity being now purged away, because of which God had turned his hand against Israel, there was now no cause to dread any other disaster, and therefore Joshua is ordered to take courage.

Take all the people of war with thee — From the letter of this verse it appears that all that were capable of carrying arms were to march out of the camp on this occasion: thirty thousand chosen men formed an ambuscade in one place; five thousand he placed in another, who had all gained their positions in the night season: with the rest of the army he appeared the next morning before Ai, which the men of that city would naturally suppose were the whole of the Israelitish forces; and consequently be the more emboldened to come out and attack them. But some think that thirty thousand men were the whole that were employed on this occasion; five thousand of whom were placed as an ambuscade on the west side of the city between Beth-el and Ai, Joshua 8:12, and with the rest he appeared before the city in the morning. The king of Ai seeing but about twenty-five thousand coming against him, and being determined to defend his city and crown to the last extremity, though he had but twelve thousand persons in the whole city, Joshua 8:25, scarcely one half of whom we can suppose to be effective men, he was determined to risk a battle; and accordingly issued out, and was defeated by the stratagem mentioned in the preceding part of this chapter.

Several eminent commentators are of opinion that the whole Israelitish force was employed on this occasion, because of what is said in the first verse; but this is not at all likely.

1. It appears that but thirty thousand were chosen out of the whole camp for this expedition, the rest being drawn up in readiness should their co-operation be necessary. See Joshua 8:3; Joshua 8:10.

2. That all the people were mustered in order to make this selection, Joshua 8:1.

3. That these thirty thousand were sent off by night, Joshua 8:3, Joshua himself continuing in the camp a part of that night, Joshua 8:9, with the design of putting himself at the head of the army next morning.

4. That of the thirty thousand men five thousand were directed to lie in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of the city, Joshua 8:12; the twenty-five thousand having taken a position on the north side of the city, Joshua 8:11.

5. That the whole of the troops employed against Ai on this occasion were those on the north and west, Joshua 8:13, which we know from the preceding verses were composed of thirty thousand chosen men.

6. That Joshua went in the course of the night, probably before daybreak, into the valley between Beth-el and Ai, where the ambuscade of five thousand men was placed, Joshua 8:13, and gave them the proper directions how they were to proceed, and agreed on the sign he was to give them at the moment he wished them to act, see Joshua 8:18: and that, after having done so, he put himself at the head of the twenty-five thousand men on the north side of the city: for we find him among them when the men of Ai issued out, Joshua 8:15, though he was the night before in the valley on the west side, where the ambuscade lay, Joshua 8:13.

7. That as Ai was but a small city, containing only twelve thousand inhabitants, it would have been absurd to have employed an army of several hundred thousand men against them.

8. This is confirmed by the opinion of the spies, Joshua 7:3, who, from the smallness of the place, the fewness of its inhabitants, and the panic-struck state in which they found them, judged that three thousand troops would be quite sufficient to reduce the place.

9. That it appears this judgment was correctly enough formed, as the whole population of the place amounted only to twelve thousand persons, as we have already seen, Joshua 8:25.

10. That even a less force might have been sufficient for the reduction of this place, had they been supplied with battering-rams, and such like instruments, which it does not appear the Israelites possessed.

11. That this is the reason why Joshua employed the stratagems detailed in this chapter: having no proper instruments or machines by means of which he might hope to take the city by assault, (and to reduce it by famine, which was quite possible, would have consumed too much time,) he used the feigned flight, Joshua 8:19, to draw the inhabitants from the city, that the ambush, Joshua 8:12; Joshua 8:15, might then enter, and take possession of it.

12. That had he advanced with a greater force against the city the inhabitants would have had no confidence in risking a battle, and consequently would have kept within their walls, which would have defeated the design of the Israelites, which was to get them to issue from their city.

13. That, all these circumstances considered thirty thousand men, disposed as above, were amply sufficient for the reduction of the city, and were the whole of the Israelitish troops which were employed on the occasion.


 
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